Coming Home
by Lord Youko
Summary: Jou is alone, broke and cold on Christmas eve. It will take a Christmas miracle to bring a certain brown haired CEO in time to rescue his puppy from doing something very, very stupid. SetoJou fluff…kinda.
1. The Dubious Miracle

_**Story: Coming Home**_

_**Summary: **__Jou is alone, broke and cold on Christmas Eve. It will take a Christmas miracle to bring a certain brown haired CEO in time to rescue his puppy from doing something very, very stupid. SetoJou fluff…kinda._

**Chapter 1 – The Dubious Miracle**

_Isn't it funny that at Christmas something in you gets so lonely for - I don't know what exactly, but it's something that you don't mind so much not having at other times._

_-Anonymous_

Jounichi Katsuya sighed, rubbing his cold hands together in front of the meagre fire burning in his dilapidated apartment.

This was the worst Christmas _ever_! And not just because it was his first Christmas after his father had died. Not even because he didn't have a Christmas tree that year, not even a small one like last year, because all his money had gone into paying off his father's debts. Also not because it was snowing and it was cold and sucked to be alone on Christmas. Yugi had very kindly invited him over for the day but Jou could never do that to him; Yugi had Yami, Ryou had that crazy tomb raider Bakura and Jou could not intrude on their Christmas, just because he was lonely. If he were there, Yugi would try his utmost to make him feel better and everyone would feel uncomfortable and it would just generally ruin the Holiday mood.

Of course, if Yugi knew how he was spending Christmas – alone and cold in his broken down apartment – he would have forced him to come. So Jou had made up a convenient lie about having a date on Christmas. It was his good fortune that Yugi and the gang seemed to think it was with Kaiba, of all people, and that is why it had to be kept a secret.

Jou's shoulders slumped and he slid down lower on the wall that he was leaning against. Because of the friction, some white plaster came loose and showered him with dust and dried paint. He pulled the thin blanket that he was covered in tighter around himself and stared morosely into the flames.

If he was honest with himself, Jou didn't think having his friends around him that day would lessen any of his loneliness. He had spent the whole day with them, laughing and teasing and fooling around and he would probably spend the next day – Christmas Day – with them too. It hadn't made him any less lonely. It was just better covered up when there were a raucous group of friends around. When he was alone, it hit him harder, that was all. But in some ways, it was better to be lonely when he was alone. It was exhausting smiling all the time for the benefit of his friends when inside, he felt like crying. And it was all a certain asshole CEO's fault.

Kaiba had not even bothered to argue with him that day. Maybe even moneybags had realized the 'the mutt' wasn't worth his time and had therefore decided it was in his best interest to stay away from him. The thought hurt, for some reason. It wasn't like he liked being insulted by the rich bastard but somehow, in the course of getting out of the gang, his father's death, paying off his old man's debts, and raising money for Shizuka's operation, arguing with Seto Kaiba had become the highlight of his day, along with hanging out with Yugi and the gang whenever he had the time.

Jou sighed. Maybe it was for the best. His little crush on the CEO would only get worse, the more time he spent with the ass. He really was pathetic if he would not mind insulted in the worst possible ways just to be close to the CEO for a few second, to have his attention on himself.

Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled out a small, chipped off plastic santa claus that Shizuka had once given him on Christmas. He missed giving and getting gifts on Christmas. That was out of question right now, of course, because he would get kicked out of his apartment if he didn't give every single penny he had to his landlord and he absolutely refused to receive gifts from his friends if he was unable to give them something in return. That was just the way it had to be and Yugi understood that. He would really feel like scum then; after all, the short boy insisted on helping him out with so many other things, even letting him stay over for a while after his dad's death and even loaning him money when Jou desperately needed it.

Jou let his eyes fall close. He hoped he could get a little sleep despite the cold. He had to put on a happy face and wish his friends on Christmas Day tomorrow, after all.

* * *

There was a knock on Jou's door a little past midnight.

A few seconds later, when there was no answer, the knock came harder.

Still no answer.

Seto Kaiba frowned, hand poised to knock on the door again. Was the mutt really such a heavy sleeper? No, that couldn't be. He would never have survived in Hirutani's gang if he weren't alert enough to awaken at the slightest noise. Staring at the rickety old door, Seto debated as to what to do.

It had taken a lot of pleading and puppy eyes on part of Mokuba to make him do this. Not that he hadn't _wanted_ to - every time he saw that bright, feisty puppy bogged down by heart breaking circumstances that were not his fault at all, he felt like grabbing him and shielding him from all the misfortunes surrounding him - but he couldn't. There was no way the golden puppy felt anything for a cold, heartless man like him, not when he tried so hard to make the boy's life hell. If he bared his heart to him, Jou would no doubt laugh at him. It would be the perfect revenge for all the times he himself had mocked him. He had more pride than that.

When Mokuba told him just how bad Jou's condition was, what the boy was hiding, even from his friends, Seto had been shocked, though he put up a stoic face for his brother's benefit. Besides, Seto thought Mokuba must have be exaggerating a little in a bid to earn his sympathy; no one would be foolish enough to go through all that just to avoid inconveniencing his friends. Seto could not believe it, even in case of his naïve, selfless bighearted puppy. They had argued till midnight. He'd finally relented when Mokuba threated to go to Jou's place alone to check on him. There was absolutely no way Seto would allow his little brother into this neighbourhood at night.

That was how he found himself driving through the snow on this freezing night and here he was, waiting impatiently in front of the mutt's door and the stupid boy was doubtless sleeping peacefully. He retracted his hand and stepped back hesitantly. He should leave, he really should. It was not wise to make a racket in the middle of the night here. If any of the seedy occupants of this apartment building woke up to find a billionaire CEO alone…

But he couldn't lie to Mokuba either. One, because he felt bad about lying to his little brother and two, because the little devil always knew when he lied, even though he had the world's best deception experts fooled.

He contemplated calling out but decided against it. That was just asking for trouble.

He mustn't be home, Seto thought glancing down at the floor under the door. There was no telltale thin film of light coming in. Surely the lights from a Christmas tree would be at least slightly visible from outside?

There! Seto stepped closer to the door and squinted. Yes, that was definitely a hole in the door. Placing his palms flat against the door, he pressed his eyes against it. He could dimly make out a small huddled shape slumped against the floor next to a cold fireplace.

Seto's eyes widened.

Without thinking, he stepped back a few paces, then charged the door with his shoulder. It gave after the first push, crashing loudly onto the floor. Out of the corner of his eyes, Seto could see the lights coming on in various nearby apartments, but no one stepped out to see why someone was breaking down the neighbour's door. In this neighbourhood, people breaking down doors meant one of two things – thugs or cops. No one wanted anything to do with either.

The door crashed into the inside wall inside the apartment and Seto stood frozen the doorway, staring wide eyed at the small figure covered in a thin blanket, blue with cold.

"Jou!"

Didn't the idiot know that it was dangerous to sleep in the cold? And the fact that he hadn't woken up after all that racket was a very bad sign.

Striding in, he immediately knelt beside the boy and shook him gently.

"Jou! Katsuya!"

His heart accelerated with fear when the boy slumped against him. Swiftly pulling a glove off one hand, he placed his palm against the boy's cheek.

He was cold as ice.

Gritting his teeth, he swiftly took off his own heavy coat and wrapped it around Jou. He glanced at the fire, then looked around for firewood. There didn't seem to be any. He walked over to a chair and threw it against the wall. The cheap quality wooden chair broke immediately. He threw the pieces in the fire and began fumbling in his pocket for a lighter. He uttered a small exclamation of triumph when he found it. Clicking it a few times till it lit, he set the flame to the broken pieces of the chair in the fireplace.

When he had a decent fire going, he turned back to the freezing boy. The coat didn't seem to have made much of a difference. Jou was still unconscious with that disturbing blue tint to his skin.

He swiftly unbuttoned his shirt, knelt down beside Jou and he pulled Jou's sweat shirt over his head. When both their upper bodies were bare, he lifted Jou in his arms and sat down on the floor, lowering Jou in his lap, facing him. He pulled his big, heavy coat on and wrapped himself and Jou in it, pressing his puppy's icy chest against his own warm one.

Then he brought his cellphone out of his coat pocket and speed dialled his personal doctor. After giving him the address and terse orders to come there with an ambulance as soon as possible, Seto wrapped his arms around Jou and waited.

* * *

**A/N: **This will probably be a 2-shot or a 3-shot at the most. Tell me what you think! It's my first fanfic in this fandom.


	2. Christmas With Friends

**Chapter 2 - Christmas With Friends**

_Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you are home._

* * *

Seto Kaiba was slumped on his couch, head tilted back, eyes closed.

The ambulance had arrived quickly. Seto didn't pay his private doctors a small fortune to have tardy service when there was an emergency. The doctors had worked on the blonde boy in the ambulance itself and Seto was told that Jou could be treated at home just as well.

The doctors had just assured him that Jou was now out of danger; he would be fine as long as he stayed warm and rested for a while. After watching over the now peacefully sleeping boy for a while, the excitement and anxiety of the previous night finally caught up with the CEO and he'd decided to rest for a while.

Seto was surprised at his own feelings in the matter. He'd always had a small_, teeny tiny_ crush on the mutt – only because he was so amusing and fun to mess with, of course – but when he'd seen Jou unconscious last night, he'd been really _scared._

Seto sighed. It was finally time to admit it; maybe…maybe Jou meant more to him than just someone to tease. Fighting with the blonde had become the highlight of his day.

Ah well. At least his Christmas was marginally improved; he had his puppy in his house, in his room on Christmas day, even though the blonde was barely conscious. At least tending to the boy gave him something to do on the blasted holiday.

The only part Seto liked about Christmas was the mornings; him and Mokuba exchanging presents. Of course, the younger boy had no clue what Seto really wanted and ended up giving him what he himself liked but Seto never let him know that. It wasn't about getting a good present; Seto loved watching his little brother's face light up when he opened his own present. Unlike Mokuba, Seto spent a lot of time researching what his brother wanted and as such, ended up giving just the right thing.

The rest of the day, though, was pretty dull, especially when it was snowing like it was now. The CEO didn't know what people loved about the day. Mokuba would be off celebrating with his friends; Seto insisted on it since he didn't want his brother to be stuck in the cold, silent mansion on the day.

Seto, consequently, would be left with nothing to do. He couldn't even get any work done on the day. He would open his laptop, begin something and then he'd get stuck. He'd end up staring out of the window, reminiscing. It wasn't even that there were any particular sad memories associated with Christmas; in fact, most of his Christmas memories of childhood were distinctly joyous ones.

Seto opened thoughtful blue eyes and stared up at the dark, stone ceiling. Much as he thought about it, he couldn't quite put his finger on it but Christmas made him…restless…like there was something he should be doing, something he was missing.

* * *

Jounichi opened his eyes sometime close to dawn. After blinking a few times, he was finally able to focus them and look around the room he was in.

Then he promptly shut them again.

Because obviously, he was dreaming. There was no way he was really In this richly furnished, spacious room. There was no way he was lying on this soft, warm bed that made him feel like he was floating on a cloud. But if he was dreaming, he really didn't want to wake up.

After trying really hard for a few moments to fall asleep again and continue dreaming, Jou admitted defeat and opened his eyes.

The room was still there. And sitting by his bedside on an armchair, staring down at him was-

"Seto?"

The CEO'S eyes widened in surprise and Jounichi blushed.

"I-I mean Kaiba? Is that you?"

Seto snorted and leaned back in his chair.

"Obviously, mutt."

Jou frowned, letting the insult go in favour of asking for more important information. "Where am I?"

Seto's face was blank.

"In my bed."

Jounichi froze.

"In your…bed?" he asked carefully. That sounded very, very wrong…

Seto made no reply.

"Why am I in your bed?" he asked cautiously.

Seto scowled. "Did you hit your head somewhere, inu? Why do you _think_?"

"Uhh…" _You really don't want to know what I think!_

"Because I found you unconscious and close to death in your apartment. What the hell were you thinking? A few seconds later and you would have frozen to death!"

Jou turned red. "Well how was I supposed to know the fire would go out in the middle of the night?"

Seto slammed his hands on the arms of his chair leaning forward towards the blonde to better glare at him. "Because you didn't have any_ firewood_ in it?"

"Is it my fault I couldn't afford any?" Jou yelled back, scowling just as fiercely.

Seto drew back at that and Jou crossed his arms and looked away. Figured that even if he was half-dead, Kaiba would find something to yell at him about.

Jou turned his attention back to the brunette when he stood up. "You should rest. I'll…have something sent in for you to drink. Mokuba told Yugi you're here. Your friends will be here to see you in the morning."

"Thank you," Jounichi said quietly. "But I don't want to impose…"

Seto turned back and scowled at him so darkly that he fell silent. The room was peaceful again as the other boy left the room.

* * *

"Jou!"

Jounichi winced as a small, colourfully wrapped bundle launched itself at him and clung to his neck.

"Hey Yug," he choked out, trying to get out of the short boy's tight grip.

"Oh Jou! I was so worried!' Yugi almost sobbed. "What the hell were you thinking, huh?"

Jou grinned sheepishly. "It really wasn't that bad, Yug."

_Thump!_

"Ow!" Jou cried, rubbing his head where he'd been smacked by Yami Bakuara.

"Of course it was, you fool," Bakura glared. "You had my light so anxious! _How could you?_"

Jou gave him an exasperate look. "Yeah, sorry about that…"

"Ow!" It was Bakura's turn to protest as Ryou promptly kicked him in the shins. "Shut up, 'kura. Can't you see he's still not well? Stop yelling at him!"

"But Ryou-!"

"Jounichi."

Everyone fell silent at the deep, quiet voice of Yami Yugi. Jou looked at him inquiringly.

"I am glad to know you are well but it really was irresponsible of you."

Jou smiled in response but Seto, watching the whole scene from the doorway saw his eyes dull.

"Please be more careful next time."

Jou nodded. "Yeah, sorry, I will."

"Well, anyway, Merry Christmas, Jou!" Yugi put in. "We don't have anything for you since you insisted but-"

"That's fine you guys," Jou cut in, shaking his head. "You guys are here with me on Christmas. That's the best present right there."

Seto's eyes widened. No presents on Christmas?

Ryou walked over to his bed and perched on the edge. "Here," he said holding out a small package.

"Ryou-" Jou began to protest.

"It's not a present," Ryou assured him, smiling. "It's candy. Candy doesn't count, right?"

Jou relaxed but Seto saw his eyes sadden even more.

"Sure, come on, help yourselves, guys."

For the rest of the time, they laughed and talked and teased each other but Seto's eyes were glued to Jou's face. That cheerful, transparent face that was so happy all the time was now full of shadows. Yugi and the others didn't notice but the smile on his face was forced.

Quietly, unnoticed by others, Seto left the room.

* * *

Later in the evening, when Seto returned, Jou's room was quiet. The Yugi-tachi was gone, it seemed, and Jou was sitting up in bed reading a comic book. There was an empty bowl of soup by his bed. When Seto appeared in the doorway, he looked up.

"Hey Kaiba…Mokuba dropped these off," he said, holding up the comic book. "Man, that kid has got quite the collection."

"Did you eat something?" Seto asked quietly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, thanks. It was delicious."

Seto nodded, then turned to leave. "If there's…anything you need, let me know."

Jou stared sadly at the back of his retreating crush.

"Hey Kaiba?"

Seto stopped in the doorway.

"What were you doing at my house at midnight anyway?"

Seto's eyes widened. "I- Mokuba wanted me to check on you."

"I see." Was it just his imagination, or did Jou sound disappointed?

He looked over his shoulder at the blonde and was taken aback by the dejected look on his face. He turned fully towards the blonde.

"Why did you help me?" Jou asked softly, staring down at his hands fidgeting in the blankets. "You…you brought me to your mansion, to your room, kept me here the whole day…why'd you do it, Kaiba?"

Seto stared at his blonde puppy, feeling an unexpected urge to hold him in his arms and not let him go till that goofy, confident smile was back on his face.

_Because I couldn't bear to lose you_, he wanted to say. But what he said instead was-

"You were very ill. I couldn't just leave you like that."

"Why?"

Seto froze in his tracks at the small, shaky voice. He had never heard Jounichi Katsuya sound that vulnerable.

"Why didn't you?" Jou asked, tears that he'd pushed back all day finally forming in his eyes. "It would have been…better that way…"

* * *

**A/N:** To be concluded in the next part. Review please! ^.^


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